SBC President Proposes Amendment to Baptist Faith and Message on Gender

Southern Baptist Convention President Willy Rice has formally requested that the denomination’s Executive Committee consider adding an article to the Baptist Faith and Message regarding marriage and gender. Addressing the committee on Monday, Rice argued that current cultural shifts regarding human sexuality necessitate a clear, unified statement from the convention. He stated that the proposed addition would serve as a firm declaration that Southern Baptists maintain a traditional view of marriage and the existence of two genders.

Rice suggested that the new language be modeled after a 2022 statement from First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida. The Executive Committee is scheduled to vote in February on whether to present this proposal to messengers at the 2027 SBC Annual Meeting. If the committee moves forward, the amendment would require a two-thirds majority vote from messengers at two consecutive annual meetings to be officially adopted. Rice, who was elected president in June 2026, emphasized that the move is intended to ensure the denomination remains steadfast in its theological convictions amidst changing societal norms.